Interview With Small Business Owner Jackie of FabTWD
magikquilter June 16th, 2008
My last two posts turned into the ethics of buying handmade versus mass produced through the comments sections…thanks everybody and especially Kara for inspiring me to start a series of interviews with small home based businesses that have spun off from the artisan / crafters love of either fabric or the creation process.
Fortuitously two bags I recently ordered from Jackie of Etsy’s FabTWD arrived this week so I decided to start the interviews with her. I was going to spin a little missive ….as Kate kindly calls my mammoth posts…around some questions I asked Jackie via email. However she is so skilled in her day job that I did not even have to tweak the interview! So here is my first of many interviews with crafters who have a successful part time or full time business which provides an income while nurturing their creative streak.
******************************************************************************************************** How long have you been doing this?
I started making purses and pouches in the Spring of 2007; in previous years, I had made wall hangings with upholstery fabric remnants, but it was very time consuming and not particularly profitable. So I decided I was just going to have to get rid of all the fabric I collected or do something with it!
The travel pouches were the first thing I made. Their inspiration came from my frustration at airport check-in and security points. I wanted to develop a pouch where I could easily store my boarding pass and ID, but still keep my hands free. All the purses I make are developed using the same practical thought: what do I need in my purse? why is it necessary? how many outfits can I wear this with?
How long until you made your first sale?
I actually made my first sale within a week of starting to make the purses. From the start, I decided that whenever I made a new style I would test market it by carrying one myself so I would get an idea about what worked, what didn’t with a particular bag. One day I was carrying my first “Bailey” style when a co-worker commented on it. I told her I was making more and described the fabrics on the other ones that were nearly complete. She bought one with a palm tree pattern solely on description! My first sale online, through Etsy, came about a month after I joined. To this day, I sell about 5 times more directly to friends and at art & craft shows than online.
Do you intend to go full time with this?
I’ve thought about that, but I would have to raise the prices quite a bit to be able to bring in the same amount of money as my full-time job, and I don’t think the market will bear that kind of price increase at this time. Presently I do fund-raising for a University Athletic Department, and enjoy the work and the people I meet. Making the purses feeds my creative need, brings in some extra money….and my plan is that when I’m ready to retire in 5-10 years, the purse business will be a going concern with an established customer base.
Where do you work …ie kitchen table …spare room …studio?
Well, I call it my studio, but it is what used to be my living room! My dining room is now my living room.
Do you have a family to take care of as well as working full time?
I am single, and one younger brother currently lives with me. My admiration goes out to all the mothers who have a family, have a side art/craft business and work full-time….now that takes some planning and fortitude!
May I say what your job description is without saying where you work?
Mentioned above.
Any other titbits would be great….how you get your fabrics, buttons, sustainability etc
Most of the upholstery pieces I use are discontinued remnants from furniture design stores…things that they would just throw out. Some of the pieces I get this way aren’t suitable to use, but most are just gorgeous! So I’m recycling fabric that would have just gone into a landfill, and because it is upholstery it is so durable. And because it came from a remnant, it is one-of-a-kind! Like I tell people “Not another one like it in the Universe.”
The first group of buttons I had came from my personal stash, and other people have given me many buttons; but at this time most of the buttons I use have been purchased on Etsy or Ebay.
Your take on on mass production….simplicity of lifestyle……ethics of spending huge amounts of money on frivolous things while people are starving and freezing overseas?
One of my favorite quotes is “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” I try to have that guide everything I do. The reason that I enjoy making my products is that I know I’m recycling something that would have just been thrown away. I truly believe that if I use my energy to create something useful and beneficial, it is one small way to help our planet. By demostrating small ways that each of us can change our environment, I believe we can convince people to be more respectful to not only the enviroment but each other.
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Thank you Jackie for a fabulous interview and equally fabulous bags! I have not shown the other purchase as it is going to be a gift for a dear friend. I love to have small bags and beaded necklaces and cushions available in case they are needed for gifts for whatever reason. Can’t think of a gift more able to cheer someone up post surgery than a one off handbag…would make them want to get better to get out and use it!
Which brings me to another reason I love discovering artisans like Jackie and Janey and Kara, for not only are we supporting small businesses, often in our local community but they are providing a much needed service to people who live further afield or unwell and unable to go out to shop, or they simply may not have access to shops or like Kara despise the whole Westfield mall shopping experience.
Some people mentioned the “buy handmade” which is on the etsy logo and also was going around as a “buy handmade pledge” last Christmas. I certainly do not feel obligated to buy handmade products as gifts …I think it is wonderful to be given services as gifts ie a cleaning lady or handy man [or vice versa] for a few hours a month or season tickets to the theatre or a book of movie tickets …the list is endless. For the people who like to give gifts the beauty of supporting artisans is that hopefully the things are original or one offs and should we buy an artwork, jewellery, quilt, cushion or bag then nobody will have one the same and the person you are giving the gift to will not have one either! I think the secret is to only buy quality items and do not pay more than you can afford or feel that they are worth.
One way of utilizing the overseas artisans you admire without feeling guilty about not supporting local artisans is should you need a gift for someone who lives in that country then it can be arranged so that it is gift wrapped and sent directly to the person, thereby avoiding the huge postage costs and stresses involved in getting the gift there on time! The only time I would have to consider not buying from overseas artisans is when the item is too large…like a quilt or throw…it would simply be too heavy to justify the postage to Australia.
If you would like to be featured here please send me an email through the contact section of the website, I will get back to you as soon as I can. Am off now to make a co-ordinating glass beaded necklace to go with the bag I bought from Jackie for my friend’s 60th birthday.
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- Comments(2)
Thank You So Much Kathleen!
My pleasure thank you for being so helpful and receptive to my suggestions about zips and security etc. Your zips are beautifully worked and my Bailey is a great size …as you say it is great for the person who takes everything along with them without the having the weight of traditional bags.
I love the idea of purchasing movie tickets, hiring a gardener, etc!
We also decide that we are going to purchase presents only from the Blue Mountains (where we live), thus ensuring that our hard earned money stays within our community.
This is again another reason to steer clear of mass-produced wastelands like W-fields (K, you know I’m on this bandwagon!) where its the SAME products in EVERY suburb.
Its lovely to see everyone thinking creatively for gift ideas. Someone told me a nice story the other day….
She is a hairdresser that picks up a client once a week on her way to dropping the kids to school then cuts ‘n’ styles this old lady’s hair. One day this client had asked how she found the time to pick her up as well as running after the kids and running her own business… she then asked for her home phone number and address. A week later, the client had organised a cleaning service to come to the hairdresser’s house and cleaned it for her head to toe… as a thank you for picking her up every week year after year!
Did you see Jackie emphasized the price points issue….different altogether for a full time home business such as yourself. It is interesting the whole “what the market can take” isn’t it? Our rent went up $150 a month this week so something is going to have to go….Foxtel for us and perhaps for others it may still mean buying fashionable items but less of them and that is a another reason to buy quality goods from artisans as they will be timeless pieces.
We did the whole “we bought the village a goat from you ” thing many years ago before it was popular and it did not go down too well then.
I think to offer to provide something that is needed is a very personal thing to do and shows immense thoughtfulness, which should be what it is all about really.
So your hard earned dollars are staying in your community….that is showing a real commitment to the future. Lucky for you that you have such a diverse population up there. Good luck getting ready for the winter magik festival this weekend….your scarves should go down a treat. Great not to have to pack up and drive for miles either.